The catering alone was $2k. Fruit isn't free.

What, exactly, are you hoping to get paid for? I don't mean that sarcastically, I really want to know. In an economic sense, what value are you providing? Entertainment has always made its money in one of four ways: by limiting access (theaters, concert halls), by selling physical objects (books, cds, paintings), by draping it in ads, or by pure patronage.

You've still got 3 out 4, and yet you're on here bitching just because someone told you how much money they're willing to pay you for one form of content delivery.

I'm not expecting this to be new to anyone here, as most of these arguments have been on the internet for years now.

We're hoping to be recompensed for our time and effort and recoup our costs plus some profit to invest in the next film. It's how all business works.

$5 a month is a very low number. I work in a cinema, your $10 to see a film just about covers cost.